Twenty-first century Africa is in a process of economic transformation, but challenges remain in areas such as structural reform, governance, commodity pricing and geopolitics. This book looks into key questions facing the continent, such as how Africa can achieve deeper integration into the rules-based multilateral trading system and the global economy. It provides a range of perspectives on the future of the multilateral trading system and Africa's participation in global trade and underlines the supportive roles that can be played by multilateral and regional institutions during such a rapid and uncertain transition. This volume is based on contributions to the Fourth China Round Table on WTO Accessions and the Multilateral Trading System, which took place just before the World Trade Organization's Tenth Ministerial Conference in Nairobi in December 2015.

Mshomba provides a systematic study of Africa as it relates to the World Trade Organization. He examines the WTO's enforcement mechanism; the WTO's broadened mandate, illustrated by the Agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights; agriculture in the Doha Round; issues relating to transparency in government procurement; and the endeavor to streamline assistance to developing countries through an 'Aid for Trade' initiative. The author integrates theory and practice, with a clear presentation of important economic concepts. He provides a rigorous analysis of key issues and proposals. He presents African countries as having an important role to play in the WTO, especially as they actively engage in bargaining through various coalitions. Mshomba acknowledges that WTO negotiations will always be complex and at times contentious due to wide economic and political differences between countries. He views the differences, however, as creating opportunities for a mutually beneficial exchange of goods, services and ideas.

Discussion of the governance of global trade and the multilateral trading system is too often dominated by developed-country scholars and opinion-makers, with inadequate attention given to developing country perspectives. Making Global Trade Governance Work for Development gathers a diversity of developing country views on how to improve the governance of global trade and the WTO to better advance sustainable development and respond to the needs of developing countries. With contributions by senior scholars, commentators and practitioners, the essays combine new, empirically-grounded research with practical insights about the trade policy-making process. They consider the specific governance issues of interest to developing countries and acknowledge the changing dynamics in the global economy and in trade decision-making.

An examination of how WTO accession negotiations have expanded the reach of the multilateral trading system both geographically and conceptually.